If you fill a bowl up only half way

[Smashraj84]

If you fill a bowl up only about half way, does this effect the flavor?  I realized that this may be the reason why I'm not getting a full flavor.  I never fill a bowl up more than half way or so because I know I won't smoke that much by myself.  Will this have an effect on the flavor intensity?  I use 1 or 1/2 of 3 kings most of the time and get some flavor but it's never intense.  Even with my Mya QT that smokes like an absolute champ I still haven't gotten intense flavor.  The smoke density is great but the flavor is not.  IS my hall-filled bowl the reason for great smoke but lackluster flavor?  If so, is there anyway to get around this (besides buying a smaller capacity bowl) or will I just have to waste some tobacco to get a good flavorful smoke?

[smokinshisha4life]

using less tobacco will definitely increase the amount of smoke, but i dont think it would alter the flavor. Try moving the coal around the bowl more frequently, on the outside edges of the bowl. Also try taking the bowl off and blow thru it to make the smoke fresher tasting.

[nuschultz]

I think the problem is in the coals.  Try using a jap coal or a natural coal.  There re a lot of chemicals in the 3 kings that dont burn out and u lose a lot of flavor.

[Smashraj84]

Can you point me in the direction of a good natural coal?  Are Nours finger coals good?

[Smashraj84]

The thing is, I'm not getting any bad charcoaly or ashy taste.  I get SOME flavor for a bit, then it just goes dead and I get smoke without flavor.  It's like I'm smoking water flavored shisha.  It's not unpleasant, it's just no taste with smoke.  That's what makes me think it isn't the charcoal because if it was a problem with the charcoal it would be adding unpleasant tastes not robbing my bowl of taste completely.

[buxtonator]

well what kinda tobacco are you useing?  it could have soemthing to do with that, and are you letting it aclimate (sit out get used to the humidity/weather) for a while? and are you mixing the tobacco up before you put it in the bowl, i think some of the flavor in tobacco may sink to the bottom with juices, may be completely wrong but i mix my tobacco up a bit before i give it a good tooke

[nuschultz]

I have heard good things about Nour fingers.  I use the fingers from fumari.  Those are nice.

[Smashraj84]

I acclimate all my shisha overnight when I first get it and then a couple hours before I smoke each individual flavor.  I mix up my shisha 1)before initial acclimation 2)when I begin to acclimate each flavor before a smoke and 3)right before I smoke it.  I've smoked Nakhla, Fumari, and Tangiers.  Certain flavors I get more flavor than others but besides Tangiers I haven't had intense flavor from any thing else.  Well there are a few Fumari brands I get flavor from for like 10 minutes or so.  Nuschultz, do you use the Fumari all-natural coconut charcoal that comes in 160 pieces or do you use the charcoal that comes in 96 and 20 pieces?

[Smashraj84]

I've never had harshness so maybe I'm just not using enough coal, eventhough I get a bunch of smoke.Tonight I'm gonna just put two coals on my bowl and see if I can get more flavor out of my session even if it gives me some harshness.

[SanguineSolitude]

i cant see the amount of tobacco being the problem. its probably either the way you are using your coals (even 3 kings give me plenty of flavor) or it may be your hookah. some just smoke better than others. you might have an airleak or such. 

[Smashraj84]

<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="-1"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="-1">I'm having the problem with the [url="http://www.hookahkings.com"]Hookah Kings[/url] hookah AND the Mya QT so I doubt it's the hookah.<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="-1"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="-1">How many 3 kings do you usually use per bowl?

[surfpico]

SmashRaj - I've been having the same problem - no problem whatsoever. At first I thought it had to do with how I cleaned it - but then I realized I probably clean my hookah a lot more than most people (warm water/brushes/etc). For me it could be the coals - so tomorrow I'm going to pick up some 3 Kings and see how it works with my hookah. Hopefully it will be OK.What kind of hoses are you using? I have an sneaking suspicion that my problem lies not only with the coals (Sultan, yuck) but also with the hoses (nonwashable Cobra hoses)... So I think it's time for me to pick up some MYAs...somethings gotta give, eh?I hope you figure out your problem.

[surfpico]

"- no problem whatsoever." - ahem, I meant no flavor whatsoever.

[Smashraj84]

[quote name='surfpico']SmashRaj - I've been having the same problem - no problem whatsoever. At first I thought it had to do with how I cleaned it - but then I realized I probably clean my hookah a lot more than most people (warm water/brushes/etc). For me it could be the coals - so tomorrow I'm going to pick up some 3 Kings and see how it works with my hookah. Hopefully it will be OK.What kind of hoses are you using? I have an sneaking suspicion that my problem lies not only with the coals (Sultan, yuck) but also with the hoses (nonwashable Cobra hoses)... So I think it's time for me to pick up some MYAs...somethings gotta give, eh?I hope you figure out your problem.[/quote]I'm using my Mya QT with the Mya hoses so it can't be the hoses, it can't be an air leak.  It can't be the tobacco since I acclimate all my tobacco and have used different brands, different flavors (ones that have gotten great reviews on the board and ones that get bad reviews).  It can't be the 3 kings coal because I don't get an ashy or charcoal taste, I don't get ANY taste (and people who've used 3 kings say they get taste, even if it is ashy or charcoaly).  I tried filling up my bowl full of Fumari Mixed Fruit (never tried it and couldn't find a review of it) and it was just great thick smoke, but NO flavor at all.  It's not awful, I still can blow great rings and still get a buzz.  But there's no flavor.  As I said it's like all my shisha is "water-flavored".The only things I can think of is 1)how I'm packing the bowl 2)how I'm covering the bowl (how many holes, hole placement with foil) or 3) I need to try a different charcoal (but even with 3 kings I should be able to get SOME flavor).

[PK]

I've always filled up the bowl half way, any more and I find I waste shisha as I don't re-light another charcoal for the remaining in the bowl.  I always get thick smoke and never any loss/weak flavor. 

[c4r80n]

Do you smoke cigarettes? That could kill your taste.For me, all tobacco is light in flavor. Try exhaling through your nose and see if you notice a stronger flavor. It could be just the tobacco. There are certain flavors of certain brands that are good for me.Try smoking different flavors and brands and keep finding more of what you like. I keep a list so I know what to buy in the future.oh and i always put very little in my bowl, i usually smoke by myself.

[steve07]

c4r80n, I smoke a pipe and cigars and when I read reviews on some brands and flavors  that people said were good I didn't get the same because of that very reason.

[Lukasa]

smashraj, i basically have the same problem as you.  My hookah is
fine, my hose is dandy, i have top-notch fumari tobacco and othhr
flavors and brands as well, but when i smoke, i usually get just a
generic sweet and fruity flavor.  I never really get a strong
taste of what the flavor is supposed to be. I, too, use 3
kings coals.  I almost always fill my bowls to up to within a
centimeter of the foil.  Make a habit of filling the bowl all the
way,  i've tried half-bowls before, and they arent as good.

[steve07]

I don't know how to fill a half a bowl.

[Smashraj84]

I've never smoked a cigarette or weed or the such.  I smoke one cigar every month or so, so I doubt that's it.  As Lukasa said I just get a generically sweet flavor.  I'm gonna try getting some natural coal, hopefully that's the problem.So are Nours finger coals a good natural coal or does someone have another brand they like?

[steve07]

I have some Romman lemonwood coals that work good.

[IzA-Hookah]

I use japanese coals, two per bowl.  I fill it up to around 1cm from the top like lukasa says.  I find that they key is the airflow.  You have to put a nice sized carb hole right in the middle somewhere.  This helps get air moving freely.  I use the poker that is attached to most sets of tongs.  I poke the main hole after I put the foil and I go through the foil as well.  I then use a safety pin to punch around 15 holes in the foil in in even pattern.  I also find that it is good to have mostly tiny holes and a few slightly larger holes.  Try keeping the coals on the rim of the bowl for half of the session, letting a corner of the coals hang over a little bit.  As you get near the middle of the session, start moving the coals more towards the center while continueing to rotate them a quater turn every 3 or 4 minutes.  I also try to knock any ash off the top of the foil when I turn the coals.  My little brother tried to pack a bowl last night and put too much and it was too high.  you have to find the balance of just enough tobbaco and the right height.  I can't stress the airflow factor enough though. 

[Lukasa]

So you use the fumari "pencil-sized hole in the center of the bowl" method?  I think i might just have to try this out.

[IzA-Hookah]

Not quite that big.  My holes are only the thickness of the pokers attached to my tongss, around half the diameter of a pencil.

[surfpico]

I really don't know what your problem is. Give the stem and bowl a thorough washing. I figured out my problem the other night...as I had predicted not only was the coal drastically reducing the flavor, but the hose as well. My friend brought of his MYA hose and some three kings coals and we smoke a bowl of al-waha melon and for the first time in months I could actually taste the MELON. It was nuts! My lesson has been learned. I am ordering a MYA hose on Friday. And he gave me two big boxes of three kings. How nice is that?I am happy. I am a happy hookah Heather!